It's really not what you know!

I don't want to sound cynical, nor do I want to put you down! I know that you probably think that it's whether you can code this, or make that. Whether you can create this, or do that!

I promise you it's not.

It's not what you know, what you've learned in school or in university. It's not what your dad or mum told you. It's not even what you and your friends think you can or cannot do.

I've been trying to play the entrepreneur game ever since I was 15 or so.

My dad was also an entrepreneur, he passed away last year a few days shy from my birthday. He worked hard for over 60 years, ran a small business manufacturing a product that sold in our home country market through all the major supermarkets.

He knew how to make things, he knew how to perfect them, knew exactly how much liquid to put in so it gets sterilised enough, knew exactly how to cut it and make it into a product he can be proud of.

60 years of hard work, and we were barely making ends meet. I don't deny that the business went through ups and downs, it helped us go out, helped me go to a good university. Whenever I was behind on a payment, dad would always step in. It helped me and my brother and sister go to school even buy a few cars across the years. But we were far from rich, middle class barely.

But my dad did not know what it takes to become rich. I am not admitting that I do, but I can tell you that it's not about what you know, it's not even about what you sell. It all comes down to these 3 little words:

WHO YOU KNOW!?

The reason my dad was in business was because my uncle knew a guy who was starting his own distribution business. This guy was rich and he saw a product that can sell, which my dad knew how to make. 50 years later, here we are. Was it the product? Hell no! The product can get you so far, if it's good enough for people to buy, that's all it needs. I admit that in the market there was so much competition, products of lesser quality, but they were cheaper! Apparently the companies that manufacture this product, know better people, people with influence, people who know other people and can get their products on the shelves. They sell more than we do, they make more money than we do and they're not better at what we do.

My advice for you is to focus on cultivating your public relations skills. Learn how to make friends, learn how to network. Make sure that you know people with money, become their friend, get close to them and when the time comes, whether you are an entrepreneur or not, they can give you that push you might need.